The mission of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department is to educate and prepare students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels for leadership roles in the fields of Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering and to conduct research for the benefit of society.

The undergraduate program emphasizes fundamental engineering science, analysis and experiments to insure that graduates will be strong contributors in their work environment, be prepared for advanced study at top graduate schools and be proficient lifelong learners. The graduate programs emphasize advanced methods of analysis, mathematical modeling, computational and experimental techniques applied to a variety of mechanical and aerospace engineering specialties including, applied mechanics, dynamic systems, robotics, biomechanics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, propulsion and combustion. Leadership skills are developed by infusing the program with current engineering practice, design, and professionalism (including engineering ethics and the role of engineering in society) led by concerned educators and researchers.The academic and research activities of the department center on the roles of mechanics, thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer, and engineering design in a wide variety of applications such as aeronautics, astronautics, biomechanics and orthopedic engineering, biomimetics and biological inspired robotics, energy, environment, machinery dynamics, mechanics of advanced materials, nanotechnology and tribology. Many of these activities involve strong collaborations with the Departments of Biology, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Materials Science and Engineering and Orthopaedics of the School of Medicine.The significant constituencies of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department are the faculty, the students, the alumni and the external advisory boards. The educational program objectives are established and reviewed on an ongoing basis based on the feedback from the various constituencies as well as archival information about the program graduates. The faculty engages in continuing discussions of the academic programs in the regularly scheduled faculty meetings throughout the academic year. Periodic surveys of alumni provide data regarding the preparedness and success of the graduates as well as guidance in program development. Archival data include the placement information for graduating seniors, which provides direct information regarding the success of the graduates in finding employment or being admitted to graduate programs.